


The Biggest and Best Adventure

by AbigailKinney4life



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Life goals, Slow Burn, The Only Adventure the Doctor ever wanted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 07:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9589991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbigailKinney4life/pseuds/AbigailKinney4life
Summary: When the Doctor left Rose Tyler in Bad Wolf Bay the first time, her heart had broken. When he did it the second time, it mended itself again. Rose is sceptical about this new version of the Doctor she has been left with, simultaneously aching familiar and interestingly different, while the Doctor himself struggles to come to terms with his new human existence and living in a constant shadow of the life he simultaneously once had and yet never had at all. Rose and the Doctor fall in love just as they had done the first time, two misfits who need each other, except this isn’t really the Doctor, as Rose keeps reminding herself, he is different and new and completely, completely hers. Rose/Tentoo.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters, they belong to the BBC and any other respective owners. I also do not own anything I reference throughout. 
> 
> A/N: So I was always a little heart broken when my very first ship, Rose and the Doctor, became no more, and was downright angry when the Doctor left Rose with this inadequate version of himself, but as I’ve grown and matured I’ve started to think from TenToo’s POV, and it’s been a real treat writing from the perspective of a man in his shoes. So I’m writing about what happens next, after they’re left on Bad Wolf Bay for the second time, to give myself closure as well as anyone else interested in reading. I hope you all enjoy 

The Tardis slowly disappeared from view, the sound reverberated across the beach as if it were mocking her. She knew that the cracks between this universe and the next were healing over just as a fresh crack appeared in her heart, splitting painfully down the middle and pushing moisture up and out of her eyes like blood.  
The Doctor half-noticed the disappearing time machine, later on he supposed he would mourn its loss even more deeply than the woman stood beside him, but in this moment, all he could feel was the warmth of her hand in his own. Her fingers, interlocked with his, were moist with sweat and her wrist curved into his own as if their hands were puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.  
Rose blinked a few times before she seemed to become aware of the man stood next to her, one glance confirmed that his preoccupation was with their joined hands. She looked at them, interlocked like puzzle pieces and felt like the warmth there was grounding her. She breathed deeply and that familiar smell of home and comfort she'd come to know over the years greeted her.  
The tears finally fell from her eyes and she released his hand, turning in the other direction, and allowing her face to fall into her hands. The Doctor was gone, he was gone again and this imitation only resembled him.  
The Doctor watched her rush away from him like a bad smell forlornly, she stopped a few paces away and with her back turned to him, began to cry silently. He wished he could do something to alleviate her suffering but knew that there was nothing he could do. In fact, he was the one that was causing it.  
Jackie surprised him, not by going to her daughter, but by approaching him instead. She was smiling sympathetically at him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
“Don't worry, sweetheart.” She said softly, “she'll come around.”  
He nodded but didn't believe her.  
“Thank you for saving us.” She continued.  
The Doctor looked down then, and was met with the sight of his red converse slowly getting soaked in the wet sand beneath his feet.  
He looked back up at her.  
“I killed the Daleks.” He said. “There's something wrong with me.”  
“You saved my daughter,” Jackie corrected, raising her eyebrows as if it were obvious. “No there ain't.”  
The Doctor couldn't help but feel slightly comforted as his gaze found Rose again, still faced away from him. He had all the time in the world to earn her affection again, it had to be an even trade, didn't it? The Doctor, the genuine Timelord, the first Doctor, he'd become obsessed with saving everyone and choices and second chances but now he had a chance to be a different person. A person Rose needed.  
A lack of signal and any kind of transportation found all three of them traversing the side of the road, shivering in the cold. The road and accompanying fields were bare and blue, even the air felt stale.  
Rose walked ahead of them, still actively ignoring the Doctor and the Doctor tried to ignore her right back. It hurt to have someone you love turn their back on you.  
“So, I suppose you've been here before then?” He asked Jackie, who nodded.  
“Yeah, I think there was a little hostel or something a few miles away the first time, we'll have to check it out.”  
The Doctor nodded. He instinctively went to apologise for not having the Tardis to hand but realised such a comment would be detrimental around Rose so hurriedly changed the subject.  
“You had a... baby.” He tried half-heartedly, eyes still wandering to Rose's back every few seconds.  
“Yeah.” Jackie smiled, and he could already hear the admiration in her voice. “He's just turned one, he's the happiest little creature you've ever seen...oh he'll love you...”  
This was good, the Doctor could lose himself in chatter, it was something he attributed to himself but also to the part of Donna that lived on inside of him.  
They finally approached the hostel just as night was beginning to fall. The hostel was clean and quiet but small, the white walls were bleached and the doors sturdy and wooden but old. The reception was made up of postered walls and plastic chairs and the Doctor sighed.  
“I get that you were trying to be poetic, but you didn't have to leave us in the middle of nowhere.” He said under his breath, certain that he could somehow hear him.  
Luckily for them all, the receptionist at the desk spoke broken English.  
“I'm sorry, but we have only 2 left.” She told them in a Norwegian accent.  
“That's perfect, that's fine.” Jackie was saying, passing over a credit card. The Doctor suddenly recalled Pete and his wealth and smiled to himself as he considered the life they led now.  
The receptionist handed over two card keys and Jackie gave one to Rose and slipped one into her pocket. The Doctor, having expected to take the other room and leave the mother and daughter to it, tried to speak up.  
“Err...”  
“Mum...” Rose said in a warning tone.  
“You two try and get settled down,” she said, “I'm gonna try your father again. God, I hope they have a bar.” With that, she turned and walked out of the reception, leaving the Doctor and Rose stood awkwardly, not looking at each other.  
“Why don't you get some rest?” The Doctor finally said, turning to her. “I'll go and...”  
“No, no, it's fine.” She said absentmindedly. “You're human, right? You need to sleep. It's okay.”  
The Doctor followed her numbly to the room they were now apparently sharing, more than happy to get out of her face and give her some breathing room. But then he would follow her whenever she told him to.

…

It took her a few goes to slot the key card into the wobbly lock and the Doctor reached into his breast pocket for the sonic screwdriver only to realise that it wasn't there. His hand fell limply to his side and he suddenly felt rather alone. The door opened and the pair were met with the sight of two very narrow single beds squashed next to each other as if nature had an agenda for them. The Doctor felt his Adam’s apple bob in his throat and could hear Rose's quick intake of breath before they both entered.  
Rose flopped onto the bed on the right the minute she was in the door, covering her eyes with her hands. When she uncovered them, she noticed the Doctor stood as far away from her as was possible in the tiny room, hands stuffed in his pockets and legs crossed awkwardly.  
She felt bad when she imagined what he must be going through, he'd only blinked into existence a few hours ago.  
“Sorry,” she said, crawling up the bed and lying back. “Long day.”  
“Yeah, tell me about it.” The Doctor agreed before slowly walking across the room and lowering himself down onto the other bed, he lay on his back, eyes hitting the ceiling as he noticed Rose twitching next to him, the pair were so close they were practically touching. In a way, it felt nice to be this close when you really cared for someone, and had all the opportunity to do things you'd wanted to do for years, but it was rather awkward when the person you loved was twitching uncomfortably next to you.  
The twitching continued.  
The Doctor's eyes left the ceiling and he inclined his head to Rose lying next to him, she caught his eye and quickly looked away.  
The pair were silent for a few more moments.  
“It's cold in here.” She said suddenly.  
The Doctor nodded, would have offered his coat had he had it. He found himself opening his arm in an invitation for her to have his heat instead. She apprehended his outstretched arm and imagined cuddling into the Doctor in a way she never had dared before. The idea was exhilarating and chilling all at the same time.  
Pain crossed her eyes and she shook her head. The Doctor knew the source of her discomfort, obviously, her heart still belonged to the man he necessarily wasn't anymore and he understood, but one thing did confuse him and he owed it to the little bit of Donna Noble beating inside him as the reason he questioned it.  
He sat up a little, letting his back rest against the headboard of his respective bed and glanced at her.  
“You know, you kissed me.” He reminded her.  
“Yeah well that was a mistake.” Rose replied quickly. It was the speed that really hurt, and Rose could see it in his ancient eyes. Rose felt suddenly responsible for that look and quickly turned over until she was facing the wall, but no matter where she looked, she could still feel the heat of the achingly familiar yet altogether too distant man beside her.  
The minutes ticked by and the Doctor found his gaze travelling back to the ceiling, reminding himself that Rose needed time. That now he could give that to her.  
Sat practically alone in the silent room, Rose's breathing the only company, he began to become aware of the beating in his chest. Normally he didn't have to concentrate to feel his hearts thumping away in an incessant four-beat rhythm but now he could barely hear his singular beat, it was so quiet, and so slow. He worried that if he relaxed too much then it would just give out. Everything about being a human seemed slower, even the turn of the Earth beneath his feet, like he couldn't feel it properly anymore.  
Lost in thought, the Doctor only came back to reality when he noticed Rose's breathing even out and knew that she had fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes, surprised to find that he, too, was tired. Another facet of his new life, he supposed.  
He continued to stare at the ceiling until Rose's even breath lulled him to sleep for the first time.


End file.
